We Didn't Win the Half-Billion Dollar Lottery

[pdub]

I buy a ticket when the noise gets so loud that you can't ignore it. Not until then. And then just one number. Why not?

We matched the date of the draw and that's all. Two bucks down the tubes. What the hell. There was a big long story written on the net about that, how it is actually therapeutic to buy a lottery ticket and dream about the outcome. How that therapy value is actually more than worth the price of the ticket in the few days before the draw.

I can see that.....a lottery ticket at two bucks is cheaper than a beer at most restaurants. And one single beer is not going to send you into great thoughts of how your life will be changed infinitely and immediately by the purchase of that one beer.

A beer or a lottery ticket.....I'll take the beer.

[DanStokes]

We always have a ticket (just one) for the Powerball. We see it as a license to dream. Our odds are 1 in 175M (+/-) same as everyone else. We've tried to explain to folks that the odds of 2 (or 10 or 100) in 175M are not statistically any better but most don't seem to follow that math. Anyhow, we'll only hit for $40M if we hit the next drawing - I think we can get by on that (or half that after taxes).

Dan

[ratpatrol66]

I should of bought a beer cause all I got now is fire starter.

[68scott385]

It all depends on perspective...

An accountant would see that as two dollars lost and figure a way to right it off as a loss on the tax return.

The lottery is investing for the mathematically challenged. The higher the purse the more folks jump on the wagon and the worse the odds. As more folks buy in the purse grows...it's self-feeding at that point. An economist has field days with those scenarios...

[Grumpy]

Yes and think about the 3 Winners, they have to split the 564 Million purse, how on Earth can they expect to get by on a measly 188 Million each, that's really sad!

[Gary 351C]

I was kind of sad we didn't win either. I already had it spent.

[JOES66FURY]

Me and the other guys in the office (5 of us total) have been spending the money for a week now. We've been pooling our money and buying tickets in hopes that we all could all file for retirement and say to hell with it. Alas, we will be going to work for the foreseeable future.....

[RockJustRock]

Just think about entering a Publishers Clearing House contest and they will bomb your E-Mail daily for a chance at $5K a week forever for FREE. Odds can't be much worse, right?

[Deaf Bob]

I won! I WON

DAMN! I WON!



Oh, guess not..

Was only off 6 nbrs

[70chevyC-10]

I only missed it by 5 numbers Bob - got the Powerball and a whopping 200% return on my investment but no life changing experience. Like Dan said pay a few bucks to be allowed to dream.

[Cyclone03]

Me and the other guys in the office (5 of us total) have been spending the money for a week now. We've been pooling our money and buying tickets in hopes that we all could all file for retirement and say to hell with it. Alas, we will be going to work for the foreseeable future.....

This is the dream if you work isn't it ? Tell the boss to shuve it. We ran a work pool to ,no white shirts allowed (supervisors wear white shirts), nobody shows up the next day, what a dream...... Then we found out they, Boss', had a pool too.....

[yellomalibu]

What would you do if you won the lottery?

We've all asked ourselves that question - that's part of the entertainment for a couple bucks; the dreaming part.

My pat answer: I'd buy a two story mobile home!

Since I started saying that, I've actually seen a mobile home company that sells one, so I guess if I ever did win, I'd have to buy one. I'd put it on the corner of my new property, perhaps let the maintenance guy live in it as his salary.

But realistically, I'd travel more, play with cars more, play with guns more, do some woodworking, and help charities - but first I'd hire someone who will protect me from myself so I'm not broke in 10 years.

[pdub]

What would you do if you won the lottery?

We've all asked ourselves that question.

I think that's actually what's wrong with the dream. Reality has proven in quite a few cases that we'd probably just run. And try to hide from all of the best begging friends we've never met. And change our phone number. And maybe even our name. It could be a curse of sorts.

[68scott385]

...first I'd hire someone who will protect me from myself so I'm not broke in 10 years.

They are called financial advisors or financial planners and that's the smartest thing said about winning the big one.

[ratpatrol66]

If I won that kind of money I'd be buying all kinds of Muscle Cars. I know were there is a low mile 70 Challenger R/T 440 6PK 4spd, 70 Boss 429, 73 Formula SD 455, and many more.